


Deep Breathes, Short Steps

by Mrs_Starry_Eyed



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Autisim is and can be widely different from each individual, Bad Puns, Bullying, Child!Reader - Freeform, Domestic Fluff, Don't freak out, F/F, F/M, Family Bonding, Fluff, I tried to make it sound like a kid, I've been told i write cute, Light Angst, M/M, Might be OOC, More like a toddler, Nicknames, No romantic stuff with reader and sans, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Papyrus is Autistic, Parent Sans (Undertale), Past Child Abuse, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route, Racism, Reader Is Not Chara (Undertale), Reader Is Not Frisk (Undertale), Reader is a kid, SO MUCH FLUFF, Sans is adopted dad, Sans is aware of Resets, Sans is less lazy in here, Sans remembers, Self-Indulgent, Slice of Life, Tags Contain Spoilers, That's sick, Their like 8 or something, You Have Been Warned, You are shy, but I can't, cliche tropes because i like that, descrimination, first person mostly, green soul - Freeform, he adores you, just in case, just thought i had to say that, not up to accuracy - so sorry, reader is autistic, reader is female, references, short story kind of thing, things might get weird, this is also on qoutev, you're a kid in here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-06 03:34:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18380126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mrs_Starry_Eyed/pseuds/Mrs_Starry_Eyed
Summary: "i know. it's hard. it's ok that it's hard."He hugs me, rubbing my head as I hesitantly hug him back. I listen closely as he speaks again. I want to say something."but i want you to just try and talk to one other person before school starts. ok?start a small chat. more if you want to.but just try."-------------A story of how little (Y/n) overcomes her autism with the help of a short lazy skele-father pushing her forward along the way. Fluff, angst, and family building ensure.(also on my qoutev account, so please don't freak out.)





	1. Chapter 1

I watched them play outside.

 

The other kids were laughing, running around, and playing tag with a red ball. Chasing each other with smiles on their faces, having fun. The sun was out today, big cotton clouds in the sky and birds chirping in the large oak trees surrounding all the houses. The other kids were playing under those trees, in a park with a large pond.

The pond had a fence around it. These adults in blue hats had built and put it there. I remember a kid, the one who lives on the other side of the street, almost drowned in that pond during the fall last year. The leafs covered up the surface of the pond and made it blend in with the ground. They didn't see the pond where they were walking, and fell in. 

Dad told me that the neighborhood got angry about the kid almost dying in that pond without nobody noticing, and made the mayor put that fence there for everyone's safety. The kid doesn't go to the park anymore. 

I don't blame them.

 

I'm watching the kids play. I'm in my room, sitting at my desk and reading a book about an elephant who is trying to help these tiny people living on a speck, and that he put it on a flower. I like the book, but I don't know the title. The title is too hard for me to say. Dad says it's fine, as long as I'm trying. 

 

I hear the door open suddenly, it squeaking noisily as slippers shuffle against the floor behind me. A skeletal hand pats my shoulder and I look up and see dad. He's staring outside the window, his normal wide smile on his face, eyes sleepy and furrowed. He looks down at me, and his smile seems to soften. He rubs my head, chuckling as I push his hand away. I look back outside when he sighs. The kids are going back inside now, all dirty from head to toe, still laughing. 

 

"sweetheart, you should go outside some more. play. have fun before the summer ends."

 

I glance down at my lap, my hands falling limp from the edges of the book and dropping off the table and onto my legs. Dad sighs again, gently pushing my hair out of my eyes and behind my ear. I lean into his hand and stare back up at him. I...

 

"i know. it's hard. it's ok that it's hard." He hugs me, rubbing my head as I hesitantly hug him back. I listen closely as he speaks again. I want to say something.

 

"but i want you to just try and talk to one other person before school starts. ok? start a small chat. more if you want to. but just try."

 

I hug dad tighter, burrowing my head between his arm and side, filling my vision with blue cloth. Dad always wears this coat, and the fur always makes it feel so warm. It smells like sauce, dirt, and a faint bit of flowers.

He chuckles. It echos and makes his belly bounce up and down. It's funny, and tickles my nose when the cloth brushes it. I open my mouth slightly. I want to say something.

 

"heh. i get it. you like reading those books. though, it would be good for you to not stay cooped up here all the time. stretch them bones. i care a ton about ya, kiddo. a skele-ton."

 

Dad finally gets back up and releases me. I smile back up at him, my chest heavy and my head filled with thoughts. He grins wider, and walks back towards the door. I continue to watch, sitting up and away from my desk, picking up the book of the elephant and placing it back on the shelf near my bed. I follow him down the wooden stairs and into the kitchen. I could still hear the tv replaying that movie we both watched at lunch. The one about the baby orange fish getting lost. It made dad get upset during the show.

 

"anyway, tori is gonna be coming over soon. just a heads up." He ruffles my bangs as he said that. I huffed, giggling while peeking up over his side and watched him put the frozen lasagna into the stove. He then pressed those knobby buttons at the top and walked away. I gazed at the fire that lit up inside, watching it melt away the ice ontop of the dish.

"we're planning some nice stuff to do the next day with her friends. they're good people. i know most of them. i think even her kids are coming to visit. sound good?" I blinked, stretching out the bottom of my shirt from my stomach and looked away. Not many people come over to the house. And when they do, they're always so tall. So.... mean. 

Dad would never bring those mean people back; would he?

 

I muttered silently, wondering how crowded it would be when they would come over. Maybe I should stay in my room until they leave. I don't want to talk to those people. Dad wants me to; he always makes play-dates with others and pushes me to do something. But I don't know what to do. I don't want to do anything.

"...How much?" 

"only a few. but hey, i'll be there all the time. you can stick with me if you get too uncomfy. and, tori is going to be bringin' some more butt-pie again. she really wants to see if you'll make more with her."

Pie? I love Toriel's pie! She always gives me a slice with added sprinkles because I once told her it would taste even yummier with that on. And it does! She's so nice. Her fur is really soft, and she let's me cook with her in the kitchen. Dad never lets me cook with him in the kitchen, unless it's sandwiches. Sandwiches are easy to make because you only grab food and wrap it up with more food. It's boring.

Toriel is a really good friend of Dad's, but doesn't come by often. I don't know why.

Smiling back, I nodded, jumping up onto the stool counter and twirling around it as dad pulled out some plates from the cabinet, using his blue magic to make them float and land on the table. I helped, bending down at the edge of the stool and opening the drawers underneath the counter. Dad laughed and shuffled over to me when I leaned over across the other side of the counter and strained to hand him a twin set of forks and spoons.

"thanks sweetheart."

I giggled when dad lifted me up off the stool and on top of his head, balancing me as he shuffled back over to the table and placed the utensils down next to the plates, plopping me into my cushioned seat. As he got up and tiredly sighed, the oven dinged a sound of a musical bell and the fire below the lasagna went out. I peered over his body at my seat, swaying my feet side to side as he slowly took out the box with the blue oven mitts nearby and placed it at the center of the table. A small happy smile grew on his face, removing the mitts and putting them back before sitting down next to me. Dad looked down at me with a grin. I blinked.

"alright now, squirt. what do we say before eating?" Oh! I know!

"thank you!" I yelled back and hugged him around the stomach. He hugged me back, patting my shoulder before gently pushing me back into my seat.

"yup, that's the one. ok, bone-appetite (y/n)." I shuffled in my seat, trying to push myself further into the table and quickly grabbed my plate to hold it under the massive amount of cheesy lasagna dad held out to me on the spatula. He did the same thing for him and started to stab a huge portion onto his fork, chewing on it noisily and with an opened mouth. I giggled. Dad's so silly.

He looked back at me as I giggled, struggling to put the food into my mouth as I watched him eat. His eyes quirked, smile growing wider.

"what?" Food flew everywhere out of his mouth and landed back on his plate. He stared at it with a look and went to grab his napkin to dab at his mouth before chomping noisily again. 

"Phfffhaha dad, stop that!"

 

xxxx

 

"sleep well, sweetheart. we got a big day for us tomorrow." I watched as dad smiled back at me from the door, eyes growing heavier as he then silently turned off the lights and closed it shut. The kitty-cat night light instantly began to glow in the dark. I burrowed deeper into my blankets, rubbing my cheek and smooshing it against the pillow. I closed my eyes, getting comfortable and tried to relax. I could hear dad talking to somebody on the phone outside, and the whisping noises of late night cars driving pass from the window.

My thoughts wouldn't die. I couldn't help but worry about what would happen the next day when all the people would be coming over. Dad said kids would be here. Kids my age, who apparently also like a few things I do too.

 

...

 

I... I want to have friends. I really do. Dad just makes it look so easy. The talking, the acting, what you're suppose to do.

It's just...

 

 

 

I want to say something ...

 

 

 

But what am I suppose to say?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to visit Toriel and her kids. But that's harder than it sounds.

"No!"

"c'mon (y/n), it's just tori. and her kids are super nice. just meet 'em."

"No! I don't wanna!" 

"i promised i'd be there with ya sweet pea, didn't i? i ain't breaking my promise. and tori said she'd be there with ya too." 

A sweet hum agrees from down the stairs.

"Exactly as your father says, my dear!" Toriel cooed, shuffling of bags dropping on the counter as her voice trails.

"can ya please come out?"

"No! I'm jus' gonna stay here! I don't wanna talk!"

 

Dad sighed outside from the bedroom door, the light coming out from underneath blocked as he moved. I held onto my toy dog Toby and rubbed at his soft fur, breathing hard as I watched from my bed in the corner. 

I could hear the kids talking downstairs in the living room, one speaking softly as the other laughed out loud. Dad was whispering to Toriel outside the door on the stairwell and more soft foot steps came from the creeky wooden floors. 

 

I don't want to go out there.

 

I don't want to. I don't want to. I changed my mind, I just want to stay here. Let me stay here. 

I don't want to. I don't. I don't know them. I don't want to talk to them. I want to stay here.

 

I clenched onto Toby harder and curled my head down on my lap as a light clear knock echoed from the door. 

 

"... sweetheart? can i come in..?"

 

I stood still, my hair down and covering my face as I watched the light underneath the doorway shine brighter as dad stepped through. Laughter and giggles and clanging of pots and steel vibrated from downstairs.

I heard the door barely close shut and a soft 'thump' on the sheets in front of me. I could feel dad gently place his boney hand on my feet. I curled my toes and stilled my breath, biting the inside of my bottom lip to stop shaking. The clock ticked on in the room.

"(y/n)."

Hesitantly, still clinging and burrowed in Toby's soft furr, I lifted my head up where I could see dad gazing back at me with a frown. His frown grew as he stared at me.

I looked away, rubbing my forehead against Toby's back to hide my face. I tried to stop from crying. I can't. Tears leaked and fell from my eyes as dad continued to look at me, rubbing my leg closest to him soothingly.

I don't want to cry. I don't want to do anything. Please just leave.

"oh sweetheart, no. no don't cry. it's ok..." I cried harder. My face feels so hot and my hair is getting in my eyes and mouth. My head hurts. It throbs as I try to stop crying and bury my face further in the back of my plush dog. I sharply hear dad moving closer.

"c'mere kid." I hic, looking up to dad's open arms and shuffled over with Toby in my hands and fell right onto his chest. He lightly touches my back, rubbing it and placing his chin on top my head. I tried to force my sobs to stop. I tried. They fell out freely. 

"what's wrong, sweetpea?" He whispered.

"I-I don't want to..." 

"want to what?"

"..T-talk... I... do-on't want to talk to th-em." I burrowed myself tighter in his arms. Dad hummed, it echoing faintly from his skull. He continued to rub my back.

"why not?"

I paused, thinking as I shook, trying to find a way to say what I felt. Tears and snot dropped down my chin and dad tilted his head further to the side to gaze down towards me as I just ended up shaking my head and clinged more onto dad. My head hurts trying to explain.

"Their scary...no. Their... I-I don't know... I don't kn-now wha' to-o ssay." I mumbled quietly, barely. Almost to small for me to hear.

Dad didn't say anything for a while, hugging me as I wondered if he heard. If I should say it again or explain more. But I don't know how, and I really just want to stay alone here. Where it's quiet and safe and empty. I'm fine here. I want to stay here. At least until they leave. 

Then dad spoke, loosening his hold and brushing away the hair from my face.

"(y/n), these kids... they won't make fun of ya." He lifted my head to look at him as he spoke, eyes wide and serious. "tori's kids are real easy to talk to, and close to th' most darn sweetest souls i've met."

I continued staring at him, rubbing my face away with a sleeve and he smiled and pinched my cheek. I swatted his hand away and he laughed.

"they'll adore ya; jus' be y'rself and it'll all work fine."

Myself..? What...

Dad patted my back and got up from the bed with a huge 'creak', then looked back towards me and slowly brought out a bony hand out. I stared at it, not wanting to go just yet.

I was safe here, for sure, I know I am. The light seeping out underneath the door from the outside was scary. 

It was too quiet outside my bedroom, the only sound being a small gentle humming noise drifting from the stairway and trailing off the walls. Nothing else. I can't hear them at all. My spot felt heavy where I laid knowing that, everything in me now firmly saying no. 

I glanced up at dad hesitantly, and he gave me a reassuring smile, lazily wiggled his fingers playfully where they stood. 

"c'mon, sunshine. it'll be fun, just try."

I don't want to. I really really don't. The thought of going out there alone makes me freeze.

But...

 

Breathing shakily out, I grab dad's hand, only regretting it a little when he pulls me up and immediately walks with me out the door. His hands are warm and safe, and I tighten my hold as he starts to walk down the plank wooden stairs to the sudden noise of running and Toriel hushing through her baking.

My eyes widen as a tall kid runs passed from the hallway in front of dad and towards the family room, only to come back and wave excitably at him with a wide smile. Dad smirked, hugging them and then giving them a mean noogie.

"hey squirt. still got that messy hair, huh kid?" They pull out of his hold quickly and glared, sticking their tongue out and started moving their hands around in strange swift signs. I stood behind dad, confused, blinking rapidly and looked up stiff when he suddenly started laughing after they stopped. 

"hehehe, guess that weed 's gettin' the cold shoulder now for it, ain't he?" The tall kid's dark eyes narrowed, but smiled and took a peek over dad's shoulder and stared at me. I quickly looked away, face warm. 

Dad chuckled, lightly pushing me in front of him with the hand I held onto and kept me in place by my shoulders. I tugged on my stripped dress, glancing back at dad nervously before gazing back at the stranger still staring right at me.

"(y/n), this is one of tori's kids; frisk. come say hi." 

"..h-hello." Their skin was very tan, brown hair short and choppy as if someone cut it badly wrong with long doll eyelashes on their face. They wore a blue and pink onesie with black boots and wore a big loud grin. They didn't say anything, but clapped happily and brought out their hand towards me. I stared at it, hands clammy and awkward until lightly reaching up and held it. They grasped my hand tight and shook, giggling as they let go and quickly did those hand movements again. I didn't understand.

"they said it's nice to meet you." 

Oh. I looked back at their face again, Frisk, not knowing what to say. 

 

Then they suddenly wiggled their eyebrows at me and winked. What?

 

Surprised, I instantly started laughing at the silly face they made and smiled back.

"Nice to meet you too!" 

"Oh, is that pretty laughter coming from you, child?" Toriel peeked her head out of the kitchen doorway, fluffy white ears flopping around as she moved. I smiled brighter.

"Tori!" Squealing, I ran up to her and gave her a hug, my arms only barely reaching to the sides of her waist. I heard dad shuffle behind me as Frisk ran back out of the hallway. Toriel giggled along with me, hugging me back gently and patting the top of my head before I pulled off. 

"Oh my child, look how big you've grown! What a beautiful young lady you are!" I puffed my cheeks out, embarrassed as I stared up at her.

"I'm still smaller than you though, Toriel!" Dad laughed as I followed her into the kitchen, where another kid was watching the stove intensely as something yummy smelling inside was baking. They looked more like a white goat monster, dressed in a green shirt with long blue pants. I backed up closer to Dad's side when she walked to the counter, where all her kitchen stuff she brought was at.

"Well, that just means you need to have more vegetables and milk, child, if you want to get taller!" EW! I hate veggies!

Toriel peeked behind her back while chopping some apples, giggling at my face and turning to Dad who was hungrilly eyeing the food in the stove and drooling. She lightly slapped the top of his head with a wooden spoon. 

"Sans, don't start eating away the desserts this time now! It's for later!" 

"Aw, what?" cried the goat kid next to dad, frowning back at Toriel and backed up from the stove. Dad rubbed his head and grinned mischiviously back at her, pointing at the counter top where all the ingredients were for the pie.

"ya tori, don't get all bitter 'cus you're cookin' skills are so egg-cellent." I snorted, quickly covering my mouth with my hand as Toriel looked back at you two with a huff. Then smiled back just as silly as Dad.

"Stop buttering me up with your sugary sweet words, Sans. It won't work on me." I giggled along with her, grinning as dad leaned back on the counter and smiled goofily at Toriel. 

"you sorbet that?" 

"Ahahaha!" Dad winked as Toriel laughed along, sighing as she grabbed two full bowls of sliced fruit and placed it at the kitchen table, wiping away a tear.

"That was quite horrible, sans." Dad shrugged, leaning on the corner edge of the counter and picking up the loaf of bread placed in the fruit basket, waving it lazily towards the her direction.

"eh, made ya laugh at yeast." 

Toriel snorted at that and instantly raised her giant paw to her face in embarrassment. The goat kid started groaning annoyingly at the puns, quickly walking out of the kitchen to the family room as my Dad just gave a pleased grin. 

Toriel shook her head, wiping off her hands on her messy apron and pulled out another glass mixing bowl from the cupboards. "Oh my, I better start baking with our dear (Y/n) here now, or we'll never stop!" 

Dad seamed to light up more hearing that, wanting to start a war on jokes again. I must stop him.

"Daaaaad. Noooo. No more jokes Daddy, I want to make really delicious yummy things with Tori!" I continued to pull at his bottom coat beside him until he raised up his hands in defeat, smiling down adoringly at me and ruffling my hair. 

"alright, alright squirt. i'll stop the puns for now. but you best behave for tori sweetheart, alright? do as your told."

I nodded up at him, pulling Dad's hand away from my head and pushed him out the kitchen hallway, him stumbling a bit on the tile. "woah, hang on sq—!"

"Move now, daddy! You stay and you'll eat all our treats before they're ready!"

Toriel giggled at this, making dad's face go blue and immediately start walking away into the family room on his own. He made a silly face at me before turning the corner. I stuck out my tongue at him and walked back over to Toriel, who was already pulling out what seemed to be chocolate chip cookies from the stove. The smell had taken over the entire kitchen. Mmmmm.

"Alright my child," She grinned while crouching down in front of me with a small wet towel, wiping gently away at my hands. "Are you ready to help this old lady with some baking?"

 

I beamed up at her, shaking my arms around excitedly. "Yes!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking of adding pictures along with the stories to at the very end, but I feel like that would ruin the idea of it being a reader insert. I don't know. What do you think?
> 
> I'm also almost done with chapter 3, it might be out tommorow? idk.
> 
> I'm going to try to update on a schedule. But it's probably going to be random. Sorry.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You finish baking and meet the rest of Toriel's kids. Things turn out well.

“Annnnnd, we are done~!”

Toriel had sang aloud with a toothy grin, cranking down hard on the knob of a cartoony egg timer a few times before gently placing it back down next to the burning lit oven. The butterscotch cinnamon pie that the both of us had just recently finished baking is sitting inside the orange flamed oven towards the center, bunched up with tin foil wrappings placed all over the edges of the doughy crust to prevent any scorching. Or so Toriel says.

I glared down at the tin foil wrappings, frustrated, still overly confused on how the tin foil just didn’t immediately catch on fire when the pie went inside the oven.   
Didn’t dad explain this before already? When he was heating up those burgers last week? Something to do with absorbing heat and… eghh, I can’t remember anything! How does this cool adult thing work again?

Unconsciously, I also wipe my dirty dough-covered hands onto my dress, powdery food smears striking the cloth. Toriel gasps slightly from behind. She frantically grabs my hands away from my clothes and frowns down at me, shaking a finger at my face in a scolding manner.

“Now, now, silly child. We must not wipe up the mess with our clothes! That’s what the apron was for!” Oh! 

I squealed, instantly raising my gross fingers as far away from my clothes as I could, warm burning reaching across my face.

Toriel helped move me towards the kitchen sink, gently holding my arms out ahead as I carefully walk up the big stool and turned on the metal faucet. The water annoyingly sprayed down on my skin as I stared at it. I awkwardly rubbed at the powder stuck in the cold water, absently trying to also squash the stream together with my fist. I giggle up at Toriel when she started scrubbing soap across my fingers underneath the now warm water. She laughed along as well.

“There, now we are done.” She spoke sweetly, carefully drying out my hands, then booping me on the nose with the used rag. I laughed from it tickling against my skin, grabbing up at my nose while Toriel smiled down at me, draping the towel across her shoulders. She blows out a sigh, staring back towards the ticking egg timer on the counter before glancing back down towards me. She stares with a gentle patient look.

“The pie won’t be completely ready for a while, my child. Why don’t you play around with your father and the other children as you wait?” 

Before I could say anything, Toriel twirled me around off the stool and eased me back onto the floor. She lightly pushed me towards the kitchen’s doorway, where the other kids’ loud chatter increased inside the family room, drifting down the hall. I halted in my spot, stiffening slightly as I looked back at her. She kept smiling.

“But… the mess.” Toriel’s eyes widened at that, but then crinkled in what looked like amusement.

“Oh, you sweet thing. Don’t you worry about the mess now, dear. I’ll get it all cleaned up before your father notices. The children though have been very excited to meet you (Y/n). There’s no need to be so scared.”

I blinked up at her, but hesitantly nodded, hugging Toriel one more time before silently skittering out of the kitchen towards the family room area. Her soothing humming echoed from behind me, making me smile slightly as I entered the room.

 

The other kids that Toriel brought along with her were sitting together at the couch, playing some weird card-game across the coffee table with the tv muted off on what looked like to be a superhero movie. I peeked out over behind the big couch curiously, immediately noticing that one strange big kid from earlier. The one who speaks in strange hand signs. They were sitting on the green couch with dad next to them, who was snoring asleep with the newspaper comics covering his face. I glanced between the two of them nervously, raggling my hands. What was their name again?

“F...F-Frisk?”

They looked up from the colorful cards that were in their hands, instantly catching my gaze from whatever it was that they were playing with everyone, and just... grinned brightly at me? Huh...?  
They raised up their one arm that was not holding the cards and held it up high, frantically waving towards me in a ‘come closer’ motion.

Everyone else there also immediately looked up from their cards and looked towards Frisk, then followed their gaze and looked back to me from behind the couches. The chattering from before had crashed to a stop as they stared, making the family room go silent except for dad’s loud snores. 

All eyes were on me.

 

…

 

“Uhhm...!” 

Gazing down towards my socked toes, I quickly shuffled over on the carpet towards the empty seat between dad and Frisk on the couch, getting up on the cushions with the help of Frisk’s hands and dad’s one foot on the floor as a spring. They immediately started forming those weird hand gestures again towards all the other now surprisingly tall kids in the room, a big grin still glued to their tan face.

Everyone was still staring. 

Why are they still staring?

 

…

 

Do I...

 

… Do I need to say hi?

 

“...H-hello?” Almost instantly, that goat kid that was in the kitchen from before turned red and smiled back at me with closed eyes. Another kid with neatly combed short brown hair and red eyes cooed at me with a toothy grin. They heavily slammed their cards down onto the coffee table with a loud ‘thunk!’ and got up from the couch. Woah, they were so tall! That’s so cool--!

I flinched when they loomed over the table and brought out their hand in front of my face.

 

“Greetings (Y/n), my name’s Chara.” I stared down at their hand that was just a bit too close to my face. It’s big, and their skin is so pale, almost pastey like the dough I made with Tori. I nervously gazed back up towards them fidgetly, them still beaming with that big wide grin. They were kinda scary. 

But they probably aren’t a bad grown up. Dad said these kids were good! And dad never lies to me. Plus these are Tori’s kids, and Toriel is the most nicest grown up that I know. That must mean that they are good too, right…?   
I gently grabbed their hand. 

They immediately engulfed my hand with theirs and shook it once with a firm grip. Their hand was calousy, yet somehow very soft like the silky red scarf dad lets me use when I get cold. My face started burning as they-- Chara? started cooing loudly at me again when they sat back down. 

“She’s so adorable~ Look at those cheeks! And she still has that cute fat baby skin! Oh my stars.” The goat kid anxiously shoved them across the shoulder as they lifted the hand that you shook towards his face, a mortified squeak coming out of him.

“C-Chara?!”

I don’t understand what’s happening. Am I really fat? Isn’t that bad?

Frisk patted my head as I touched across my face, giving me a helpless smile while mouthing something at me. I blinked confusingly up at them.

 

“Geez. Ehh. Sorry about that, (Y/n). Chara didn’t mean anything bad by that, please don’t get mad. My name is Asriel. It’s nice to meet you.” 

I went this time and tried to shake his hand when he brought it out to me. His grip was gentle, and his fur was really soft and cozy; like a blanket. Wow. I smiled shyly back at him when he sat back down.

“Nn-nice to meet you too.”

 

Chara awed even more while Asriel rolled his eyes. Frisk silently laughed with their arms shaking and clapped their hands dramatically, gathering everyone’s attention. Frisk went to lift up their cards in front of them and shuffled them back into the deck sitting on the table, making those weird signs again with their hands. It seems that everyone but me happens to know what those weird hand-sign-thingies mean; if the big kids’ faces nodding up and down mean anything. That’s unfair.

“Oh, ya! That’s a good idea Frisk! We should do that! C’mon, let’s start the game over Chara!” Asriel started grabbing up all the used cards and handed them over to Frisk, who gladly took them and started humming quietly. Hm?

“Noo, I was so close to winning this round!” Chara grumbled, slowly handing back their cards over to the deck as well.

“You always win this game though?” 

“Pshh, I know that!” 

I watched in awe as Frisk shuffled up the cards fluidly between their hands, flushing the cards in half like a fan in front of me. They catched my gaze and laughed, then started shuffling even faster than from before. I giggled as the cards were spread around towards everyone, clapping my hands as Frisk winked at my cheekily. That was so cool!

“That was really cool!” 

Frisk bowed at the praise, smiling down at me. They handed me some worn out cards that have just been shuffled by them. I stared down at the colorful fading pictures on the front of the cards, numbers decorating the corners. My brows furrowed. What?

“We were in the middle of playing Uno before you walked in! It’s really fun, and pretty easy to play. Plus, we actually have candy for whoever wins! Would you like to play with us, (Y/n)?” Asriel spoke up, flashing the back of his cards that read ‘UNO’ in bold letters, with silly stars scribbled all over. 

Oh. I looked back down towards the cards, flicking the edges with my thumb. I never actually played with cards before. Dad only played board games, or those really hard math puzzle things with me. I stared back up, tugging at my dress.

“I don’t know how...” 

Frisk patted my leg, making me look up back towards them. They smiled and gave me a thumbs up, then pointed their hand towards their chest three times and winked. Um?

“Frisk said they will help teach ya how to play. Don’t worry, we can help ya too squirt.” Chara piped up, spreading out their cards in their hands with a smirk. Asriel smiled back as well, nodding. 

“Yup! It’s easy, but we’ll explain the rules and stuff beforehand, ok?”

I looked at everyone, and then back at my cards in my hands. My hands were shaking. I can’t make them stop shaking for some reason. My heart is beating real fast too, and my face won’t stop heating up, it’s so warm. My whole body feels stiff. Is this normal?

I don’t know what I’m doing. I feel like I’m doing everything wrong, and most of the time I don’t know what to really say to them, but…

I glanced over at dad next to me. He was snoring softly with the newspaper comics still over his head, arm lazily draped over the couch with the other halfway on the carpet floor. His pink slippers were resting right next to my leg. They were warm. He was right here...

I take a deep quiet breath before letting it go. I looked back up at them and smiled.

 

“Ok, let’s play then!”

 

xxxxx

 

It turns out that this card game is really easy.

And also super fun!

 

“Again!? How the hell is she winning!”

“Language! That’s a coin in the swear jar, Chara!”

“Gah, I take everything back! You’re not cute at all, you little--”

“Chara, mom said no running! You’ll wake up uncle Sans!”

 

I ran away from Chara as they chased me around the family room, squealing excitedly as they almost grabbed me after jumping over the table. 

“I’m going to get ya, you little twerp!” 

“No! I’m too fast for you!”

I skipped over the matt near the hallway and scooched inbetween a small gap through the two couches before Chara could catch me. They let out an angry huff, and I blew them a raspberry when running past a giggling Frisk. Then I turned passed a corner and immediately smacked right into something huge.

“gotcha!” Dad chuckled, hoisting me up off the floor in his strong boney grip and twirled me around in the air. I screamed, laughing way too much as I held tight onto his blue coat while my feet dangled above the floor.

“Daddy, you’re finally awake! Yay!” I giggled, squirming a bit as he noogied my head before putting me back down.

“yup, ‘n all ‘cus of you, ya little trouble maker. hehe, what’s got ya all so hyper?”

Frisk waved back at dad unapologetically, showing them multiple empty plastic wrappers of monster candy. He snorts at that, and stares down at my face with even greater amusement.

“already gobbling down candy, huh tiger? shoulda known these kids would feed ya a choco-lot.”

“Bleh!” He laughed harder at that, patting my head as the others started to pack up the rest of the game. 

“Don’t worry, Chara! We can play more next time!” 

“No, I need to build up a better defensive strategy! I clearly messed up somewhere for a puny brat to outwit me.” Asriel stared back amusedly, stuffing the rest of the cards in the box with a deadpan smile.

“Clearly.”

Frisk silently tapped at my shoulder, making me turn back around to the them and notice them hold up a piece of note paper with neat scribbled handwriting on it. I squinted, raising up my hand to trace across the fine print.

“T-thank...you… for… playing… with us? You’re welcome! It was really fun to play with all of you!”

Frisk smiled down at me happily, stars twinkling in their eyes before quickly scribbling something else down. Then handed back over the paper. I looked at it, face getting scorchingly warm.

“Friends? Weren’t we… weren’t we already friends?” I blinked up at them confusingly, slightly hurt. Friends play with other friends anyway, right? That’s what it is in the movies I watch on tv. I thought that’s how it worked, and—

Frisk immediately nodded, somehow grinning even more before shaking my hands and hugging me. I stiffened slightly under their hold. What’s happening?!

“Oh my, what a pleasant surprise! It seems that you’ve all already gotten to like each other!” Toriel giggled while emerging from the hallway, a plate of steaming hot fresh cookies held in her mitten hands. I stared up at her awkwardly, hands still forced to my sides by the hug as Frisk nodded joyfully with their head resting against mine. Why are these big kids so cuddly? They’re more worse than dad!

“Chocolate!” Chara cheered instantly, jumping off the couch and sprinting towards the cookies that Tori placed down onto the coffee table and immediately inhaled one. 

“Not so fast, my child! The dough is still hot.” Tori warned, but it was too late. Chara cried in very deliberate controlled pain while chewing on the delicious treat, somehow savoring the flavor with tears in their eyes. Wow, they must be super strong to handle that!

“Thank you, ma! These are delicious!” Mumbled Asriel while munching on a cookie. Crumbs decorated the white fur around his mouth. 

“thanks t, this is real sweet of ya.” dad grinning humorously, grabbing at least five. Hey! I want one.

“You donut need to thank me, Sans. It was dear little (Y/n) here who really made these treats!”

I reached out from Frisk’s grip to grab some of the cookies left on the plate and pushed it all into my mouth. MMMM, chocolate is so yummy!

Everyone giggled at that. These people were surprisingly really nice. And kind. Just like dad said they would be. I’m glad that they come over this time! This is a lot more fun than those weird adults that come by!

“Well, I’m glad everything has settled well with all of you. It would be quite awkward when school comes by if you weren’t.”

“Huh?” Chara blurted, mouth still full and staring back at Toriel confusingly. So did Asriel and Frisk, pausing in mid conversation.

Toriel looked surprised, covering her fanged mouth with a paw as her eyes widened at the tall kids.

“Oh, has Sans not told any of you yet?” I gazed with the rest over towards dad, who looks over at everyone with an equally confused and nervous stare. I pulled at his sleeve, making him look down at me. 

“What does Tori mean about school-time, daddy?” 

“ah. i forgot to mention that, didn’t i?” He rumbled, a small smirk forming on his face. My eyes furrowed.

“You haven’t even told your young one?” Toriel questioned, staring at him in disbelief that he hadn’t said anything yet of what he apparently was suppose to talk about. Dad only shamelessly shrugged back with a grin, giving her a “meh” as an answer.

Tori sighed. She shook her head at him before turning back towards all of you, a small smile of hers curving across her round face.

“You children will be attending the same school together by the end of this summer break. A newly built school that allows monsters and human to learn together as a class, and where I’ll happen to be working for as the principal!”

Chara instantly groaned at the idea of school, while Asriel and Frisk immediately started cheering, obviously happy about the sudden news. 

I stared up at them in surprise, myself slowly smiling at the thought of going to a school where I already have other kids as my friends going there. And perhaps make more with others as nice as them. That also means we can play together even more too!

“What class will you be in, (Y/n)?” Asriel suddenly asked me. I blinked up at him, tilting my head.

“Class?”

“this squirt is going to be starting her first year in 2nd grade.” Dad answered for him. He then smiled down at me adoringly, patting my head in praise. “already skipping a grade ahead of yourself, ya smart girl.” I grinned up at dad at the praise before looking back to Asriel. He seemed to be looking at me in silent impressive wonder.

“I’m already reading all the books from Dr. Sue! And special history novels!” 

“You must really like books.” Chara mused, surprise also evident on their face. Frisk signed away next to them on the couch, a nervous frown with sweat dribbling down their chin as they glanced away.

“Frisk said they aren’t that very good at reading. Heh, then maybe you could go ask (Y/n) out to help you. You might even flunk down low enough to be in her class!” Chara sassed Frisk, who only aggressively stuck their tongue at them in retaliation. Asriel started telling Chara to knock it off when they continued bickering at each other. But Toriel was the one to finally break it up.

“Now now, no fighting in the house, dears! Especially ones that’s not ours. It doesn’t matter if Frisk is poor in reading or if (Y/n) is talented at learning it. You all are still growing, and have equally excellent and stunning skills to share with each other.” She told them sternly, waving a finger at all of them like a teacher would to a rowdy bunch of students.

“I wanted you to all get to know each other first before meeting each other during school time randomly. I ask of you all to be kind to each other and to help one another during this. And especially since (Y/n) here is still new to this areas schoolings and quite shy to her fellow peers.”

I guaked up at Toriel, forcing me into the spotlight as they all stared back at me with nodding heads and serious expressions. My cheeks boiled red and looked away. Dad chuckled from behind me, making me glare back at him.

“That will be easy. A lot of our friends are going to be going to the same schools as ours, so we can just show (Y/n) to them!” Asriel clapped their hands together with a closed-eye grin, already excited about the news.

“Yup. And we’re also in 4th grade— two classes ahead of her. Anyone who makes fun of (Y/n) or refuses to be her friend will just get beaten up by us.” Stated Chara evilly, a sinister mischievous smile stretching their rosy cheeks.

“I don’t think that’s how friendship works, Chara. We can’t just beat up everyone that doesn’t react positively to her. We must set up a good example as her role-models!” Asriel argued back, arms raised up at them cautiously. Frisk nodded, giving a thumbs up to him.

“Bah! Let her learn young how to get some respect. Fighting back is definitely the answer!”

“That’s against school rules!”

I watched as they all argued to each other about how they would take care of me when it’s time to go back to school. It’s very awkward and confusing, them all starting to stand up from the couches as they got more vocal. I glanced down to my shoes and digger them into the family room carpet. I’m not so sure about being in school anymore. It sounds so messy.

“hey.”

Dad held my hand against his. I looked up at him to find him smiling down gently at me. His eyes softened as his grip held on tighter. Toriel started to tell everyone to pack up, and to quit fighting on the table. They were so loud, yet so happy.

“you’ll be fine, sweetheart.” 

 

It took me a while to nod back. “I know.”

 

 

 

xxxxx

 

I waved at everyone as they left out the front door, all the big kids screaming at me goodbye through the car door window as Toriel started up her car and drove off into the street. I smiled back and laughed quietly as they could be heard still screaming in the distance, my small flip-phone pinging with text messages that was mostly likely Frisk still saying those weird compliments again. 

They insisted on giving their number to me before leaving today, saying how it was important since we’re friends and will be together at school. Asriel and Chara also agreed, and I couldn’t say no when they made that funny puppy-dog face.

Dad chuckled to himself as he watched them drive down the road while holding open the front door, watching until their voices faded and the car went out of sight turning left. He jostled my hair as he moved back inside, huffing as I swatted back at him with a small grin. 

“imma start making dinner, kiddo. don’t stay out too long, ok?”

“Ok dad!” I hollered back. I looked up at the sunset and stared at the golden hues reflecting across the neighbors trees. Wind had breezed on by and ruffled the leafs in the distance, birds cawing out of them and flying away. It was so pretty. 

I took a picture of the view with my phone and was about to close back the door, until—

 

Rustle.

 

Rustle.

 

Rustle.

 

I paused at the noise, peering back through the open gap of the door outside and looked around. “...Hello?”

A squeal. Then all of a sudden, a red ball was swatted out of the bushes of the front lawn and slammed onto the bottom of the mailbox post, rolling to a stop on the gravel pathway. Wha?

I looked over curiously at the ball, then back towards the bushes that the ball just rolled out of. Something was definitely there, the leafs still rustling.   
I bit my lip, glancing back inside to the family room where my dad could be seen shuffling around and turning off the tv with his phone by his ear, talking back quietly to someone on the other end of the line. 

I looked at him, nervously watching as he sighed and moved on back into the hallway towards the kitchen. After he disappeared into the room, I hesitantly opened up the front door all the way again and placed a metal pail that was on the porch at the end of it as a a foot stopper. Making sure it was secure and tugging at the knob so it wouldn’t move, I jumped off the porch and cautiously stepped closer to the red ball at the end of the pathway. 

As I got closer, my eyes widened in familiarity when looking more better at the ball.

It was the same red ball those kids were playing with outside a few days ago.

 

I froze. My feet stiffened and glued to to the floor, bare toes now curling into the grainy gravel while staring down at the toy. The sun felt more boiling than it was supposed to be, breeze tugging at my hair and hitting my pulsing head. Too many thought, too many thoughts are exploding.

It’s those kids’ ball. It’s all dirty, it’s covered in mud. They must’ve been playing around on the other side of the yard. Do I—

No. 

No. I don’t want to. My hands clench onto my dress. I don’t want to even pick it up. How am I suppose to go over and talk to them if I…

...

I stared down further towards my hand, where I can feel the grooves of my flip phone in my palm. Closed shut, yet still pinging with unread messages from Frisk. And now probably from Asriel and Chara too. People who are big kids. Kids that I thought were going to be scary and rude and intimidating. And I wanted to hide, not look at them at all. I just wanted to be alone. I couldn’t do it.

But they weren’t. And I did.  
They are one of the most nicest people I’ve met. They really loud, make funny jokes and call me cute. They don’t mind if I can’t talk, and played cool games with me and are now my friends that I’ll later be together with at that new school Tori mentioned.

I made friends today with scary nice kids. And it was ok.

 

I breathed in deep and sighed. Then slowly, consciously bent down and scooped up the red ball in my hands, rubbing some of the mud off between my fingers. 

Gazing back up towards where the ball came from, the bushes now completely still, I walked over towards the side of the yard and pushed back some of the branches and leafs in the way. Nobody was here. 

I glanced around more, faltering as I frowned slightly when pushing back more leafs.

“...hello?” More rustling, than a thud.

I whipped around, frightened and raised the ball up higher in self-defense. My eyes widened in shock to see that it wasn’t a kid. No. It’s…

“...Sorry. I accidentally kicked it too hard and it went and flew straight to the other side.”

It was a monster kid-- a dragon.

They had four tired beady eyes framed with wooden glasses and curly sharpened horns against the sides of their forehead, black wild short hair resting on top besides them. They wore what seemed to be an oversized yellow and grey striped sweater with dangling sleeves that weren’t holding any arms. They had no shoes, dark scaly fur decorating their bent up legs with a shiny spiked tail curling behind them on the ground. The tip of their wings peeked behind their shoulders, tufts of smudgy red fur on the corners and sides. They blinked back with a fidgety look, small fanged smile decorating their face. 

“Uh.” My face hurts, heart pounding fast. My grip tightens on the ball and I just can’t help but keep staring. Is that bad? That must be bad, dad said it’s rude to stare. But I can’t help it. Their so…

“Oh, um, th-thank you for grabbing it back though. You didn’t have to. Ju--um, you can just drop it down… if you want.” They started fidgeting, their hands actually being inside the space of the hoodie instead of the sleeves and wrangling the neckline with taloned fingers, four eyes glancing away. Wow.

“You’re cute.” I mumbled, wide eyed. They instantly looked back, beaded eyes full blown and a red hue spreading fast across their face, tail wagging slightly behind them and wings opening up only a little. 

Wait. What did I--

“I mean-- I’m sorry! I didn’t mean that! I mean, um!” My face is burning! My face is burning up! I can’t, why did I say that? They probably don’t like being called cute, they didn’t say anything and-- maybe this is why it’s rude to stare?! You do something weird and--

“I-It’s ok. I just, uh… I, heh, I wasn’t expecting you to say that. Thank you?” They smiled shyly back at me, standing up taller and flapping their wings. I immediately dropped the ball to the floor, clinging my hands together and looked down. Humiliating!

“‘M still sorry.” 

“I said it’s ok, no worries! Hehe, you’re really funny! My name’s Pocket, by the way. Nice to meet you human!” I stared back up at them nervously, and nodded. I can’t really look at them.

“(Y/n). Nice to meet you.” They laughed, then picked up the ball with their tail.

“(Y/n)! I think I’ve heard that before. Are you that girl who has, like, a 100 books? I’ve always wanted to--” 

A distant female call is heard on the other side of the yard, coming from the home the dragon kid was near. 

The kid seemed to frown at this, wings drooping down and gazes to the floor.  
“That’s my ma. Probably telling me to go back to my room…” I stare at them confusingly before looking back towards the house, about the same to my house, except they have a chimney.

The dragon kid stares back up at me with a small smile, bowing his head before walking away with the ball. “By (Y/n), thanks again. Was nice to finally see you!” 

I didn’t know what to say. So I just tensely waved back at them and ran back inside my house, ignoring dad’s questioning stare at the dinner table as my face felt like steam was pouring off from it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the so many words. I overdid it :(
> 
> Also sorry if you're weirded out by the ending for some reason. It's only a baby crush for now, so don't worry. 
> 
> Thanks for reading??

**Author's Note:**

> This is also on my qoutev account, so please don't freak out if you already read this from there or something. Just thought I would put this here as well so it's more organized.
> 
>  
> 
> Either way though, thank you reader for deciding to look at my crappy story for whatever reason. It makes me happy knowing it's kind of ok. 
> 
> This story is mostly going to be loosely based plot with chapters that connect together, if that makes sense. I've always wanted to right fluffly stuff for undertale, and really wanted something platonic and family-like. Children/parent bonding time is too cute. And I already have a few ideas I want to put down, I just got to get up and actually write them. 
> 
> But if you have any ideas or requests, please let me know. My ideas are not complete gold. 
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you again for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day : D


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